The thugs are shaken but not quite enough to fall to their knees at Han's command.
One offset from the rest turns and blows a breath through his clenched fist. From the other end of his closed hand a jet of flames shoots out engulfing the alchemy shop. "Y-You'll pay for messing with us!" another shouts in defiance before the group breaks and flees.
The oread shopkeeper looks on in horror as his livelihood begins to go up in flames.
Steam fills the air as Mrachni's summoned water douses some of the fire.
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Xue hisses in anger at being ignored, and at his new ward's livelihood being attacked.
"You are honorless creatures!"
He then summons his inner dragon and spurs his horse into battle, riding past the group.
"You will stay and answer for your assault upon this person."
Ready:
Stunning Fist, DC 14 on readied attack
AoO
AoO
Red Hair whinnies nervously at the violence of his rider.
Working together Henry and Enora manage to douse a section of the sand onto the growing flames. Han's bucket misses the mark and the sand within scatters without effect. The shopkeeper, inspired by the party's instincts, rushes forward to grab a bucket himself.
Xue and Red Hair brutalize the fleeing thugs but fail to bring any of them down. The crowd of oread part to give the ifrits passage as they limp away nursing their bruises. One turns just long enough to flash the reptilian Pathfinder a rude gesture.
Despite the party's efforts the flames persist and begin to spread further.
This time Han hits the mark smothering some of the hungry flames.
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The fire seemed out of control. Their efforts seemed incapable of stopping the kindling inferno. Somebody had to do something! Enora realized that someone had to be her.
"Everybody close your eyes!"
Enora stands very still and plants her staff firmly in front of her. Beneath her fingers she can feel the warm pulse of her magic in the whorls of its wood. Drawing it out, she whips her staff around to encompass the fire. Her magic converts all the flames to harmless lights -- though they are pretty and quite bright.
The crowd's attention is torn away from the thugs fleeing through their midsts and instead focused on Enora's fantastic display of colored lights until the show reaches its climax and the majority are temporarily rendered blind. A few complain about the frightening side effects but plenty are quietly impressed by the results (the extinguished fire).
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Xue summons his inner chi, channeling it through his palm and waving it over the assembled thugs. With the great force his hand waves forward, knocking the foolish ifrit unconscious.
Once he has the ruffians bound, he will strip them of some of their valuable and turn then over to the shopkeeper, to help him pay for his damages.
"My apologiesssss we were not able to ssstop them sssooner."
The crowd watches Xue work with mixed reactions. Most are grateful that someone has stood up to the fire-blooded thugs but some are visibly upset that violence had to be used against their wayward children. The oread shopkeeper is decidedly less conflicted and thanks the party loudly.
"Thank the heavens you arrived when you did strangers! I thought for certain my business was going to go up in flames. The name's Morak."
Some of the oread nod in understanding but most just shuffle off back to their tasks.
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The Nagaji would normally take such ruffians to the authorities.
However, since they are the authorities, he will instead regale them with stories of the distant Tian Xia.
"If you want to be a warrior, you musssst firsssst learn to think and act with purity of purpossse. First, you must remove your sssense of ssself. In Nagajor, we learn that there are purpossses greater then ourssselves. We learn to empty ourssselves ..."
He will go in this manner for some time, trying to instill some honor in these street scum.
Since they are probably inclined not to listen to his mystical ministrations, he will likely bind them, find Eurdan and see if he has a place to hold them for a short while.
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The crowd watches Xue work with mixed reactions. Most are grateful that someone has stood up to the fire-blooded thugs but some are visibly upset that violence had to be used against their wayward children. The oread shopkeeper is decidedly less conflicted and thanks the party loudly.
"Thank the heavens you arrived when you did strangers! I thought for certain my business was going to go up in flames. The name's Morak."
"You may thank us by aiding us. We plan to stop this Tygora who has been menacing people such as yourself. What say you? Do you desire to keep your profits as a merchant should?"
”So you’re planning to finish what the last group started then? Good! I’m glad to help in any way I can. I’ve been working on something special. Hopefully it’ll help you bring that woman down for good.” The oread digs in his pack and retrieves a small ornate wooden case. He opens it revealing a single vial resting on a velvet cushion that contains a swirling white fluid.
”It’s one of a kind – potentially priceless. But so is Crystalcrag getting her freedom back.”
After stopping by the Councilhouse to drop the captured thugs in Eurdan's care the party returns to the Fifth Facet where it looks like the dinner crowd has gathered. A few give the party curious glances as they enter but most seem to focus on their meals. Despite the relative quiet the tension in the air is palpable.
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"Of course. I have this one." Han orders a drink and leaps up onto a table. "I know all of you are tired of being shackled by that fire-skinned witch named Tygora! So I urge you to rise up like the mountains from which you are made of rather than be tread upon like you were just the lowly ground she believes you to be. Like an avalanche, you can rush over her palace and crush it! Flame can be put out by smothering it, can it not? So what say you? Are you made of rock and stone, or are you mud tracked upon floor by fiery boot?" He says grabbing his drink and raising it in the air.
Though they are slow to show it, Han's passionate speech does stir the assembled oread laborers and craftsmen. One by one they join in the conversation citing their grievances and showing their interest in the idea of a brighter future. By the time they're finished with their meals, many seem ready to take back their city - by force if necessary. Eurdan arrives visibly impressed by the party's success.
"I think you've done it. Volstag contacted me with news that he has arms and armor enough to equip a small army and Morak delivered crates of curative potions to help minimize the casualties. I will begin spreading the word that those with the will to fight should gather at the Council House. We will strike the palace as soon as you are prepared."